Fastest Known Podcast

Jared Campbell is the sleep deprivation king. He has the most Barkley Marathons finishes (3); he has 10 Hardrock 100 finishes including a win; he's the holder of many original FKTs; he founded Running Up For Air and he's rrreally into "speed canyoneering"... wait, what?

This week we talk with Ryan Sandes all the way from Cape Town, South Africa. His bio is long but what stands out most is his 5th, 2nd and 1st at the Western States 100 where he’ll be racing again this year. Along with preparing to run the iconic Two Oceans road marathon, Ryan recently invented a project called the 13 Peaks Challenge.

It's the 1 year anniversary of FastestKnownTime.com!  Buzz and Peter talk about what has changed about the website, its functionality and features, what it means to be the "gatekeepers" of the FKT movement, and much, much more.

"Our site is crowdsourced. YOU provide the information and the stories".

Peter has become an encyclopedia of the coolest routes in the world.  What are they?

Mike completely disrupts the long-distance paradigm - instead of 1-2 Marathons a year, he might do that many in a single weekend.  He has run 107 ultra’s in the last 11 years, and most of them fast - his Marathon PR is 2:17:49. And he just completed the Israel National Trail - 1,016km in 10 days, 16 hours, 36 minutes.

“I’ve been inspired by this FKT movement … I think there’s freedom with it … and there’s so much opportunity to engage the community.”

At only age 37, Andrew Skurka has already been there, and done that:

"Hiking fast was not accepted. I was frowned upon for doing the AT in 3 months."

Times have changed, and so did Andrew - he's done massive projects many people may not have even heard of: the Sea-Sea route (7,775mi), Great Western Loop (6,875mi), and the Alaska Yukon Expedition (24 days between road crossings).  He's written a book, definitely has the best how-to website for backpacking (andrewskurka.com), and his perspective on FKTs is very worth listening to:

FKTOY-EU wraps with an exclusive, 30 minute interview with Kilian Jornet.  Besides being the best mountain runner of his generation, Kilian is an extremely thoughtful and knowledgable student of the sport:

"We think trail running is a new sport, but we cannot be more wrong about that".

Find out the #1 FKTOY's for Europe, and listen to his first-hand descriptions:

"It was insane - she was in crazy good shape. Coming from Norway, from sea level, she was like, flying up to the summit".

The Fastest Known Time of the Year Awards are back ... for EUROPE!  This Episode is a must-listen:  Matt Lefort and a diverse group of a-list voters picked the top Five (Female and Male) FKT's, and these are very cool; some of the most iconic routes in the Alps (and beyond).

"This one was insane ... people are still wondering what happened in the past ..."

The style in Europe is to start at the bottom, run to the top of a mountain, and charge straight back down again.

"This is as classic as you can get".

Matt Lefort is a native of France, who 10 years ago moved to Andorra, a mountainous principality in the Pyrenees between Spain and France.  He is the Race Director of the Els 2900, and an active mountain runner and skimo athlete. 

A resident of Boston, MA, Joe McConaughy set the Supported FKT for the 2,655 mile Pacific Crest Trail in 2014, and on the 26-peak Wicklow Round in Ireland last May.

Paddy O'Leary is an Irish transplant who on October 13 set the FKT on the East Bay Skyline Trail, running 32.61 miles in 4 hours, 18 minutes, 12 seconds.